Blackberry Unlocked

Yup, that's right. CrackBerry Birthday week festivities are going the FULLLLL week. Next up, the good folks at PhantomSkinz are offering up some clear scratch protection! 15 lucky winners will be able to choose their pick of available Phantom Skinz for BlackBerry devices. You can click here to check out their BlackBerry offering.

To enter the contest, just login to CrackBerry.com and leave a comment to this blog post. We're going to make you work a bit harder for this one though… in your entry comment, let us know the #1 factor you look at when buying a clear skin for your mobile device. Is it the Cost? Protection? Manufacturer? Recommendation of others? Design? Ease of Installation? Something else? Let us know! Thanks Phantom Skinz, and good luck!!

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Birthday Contest: 15 BlackBerry PhantomSkinz Up For Grabs!

(The CrackBerry World needs to see a photo of a real 9630…
If you have one you can send it in here!)

BGR posted some new details yesterday about the eagerly-anticipated upcoming full-qwerty BlackBerry, codenamed "Niagra".

Word is the device model for the Niagra will be the 9630. The device is a bit of a Bold/Curve 8900 hybrid, so both 9030 or 8930, while sorta logical device model extensions, don't quite fit the bill. The 9630 model number makes me really curious as to what the branding of the device will ultimately be. I sort of always assumed this would be the CDMA Bold, but maybe it will go to market otherwise.

Other BIG news for at least the Verizon version of the 9630… it'll be a World Edition phone and apparently will NOT have WiFi. We know that at least some pre-production versions of the Niagra have had WiFi on them, so if Verizon releases it without WiFi you know it's not a technical limitation on RIM's part.

BGR's source also said the OS on the device is version 4.7.1, though depending on release date it could hit as the re-branded OS 5.0 (tied to the release of BES 5.0). 4.7.1 seems a little strange to read when you think of the Storm's touchscreen OS as being version 4.7, but it makes sense when you take the Application Center (not app storefront) into account. Thinking back to my interview with RIM's Jeff McDowell at Dev Con, it was said that the Application Center would ship on all devices with 4.7 and newer, and I'm sure Verizon and other carriers will want it on this device.

No word on official release date yet. Jump over to BoyGeniusReport for more details.  

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. "Niagra" is the BlackBerry 9630 World Edition

This bit of news took me by surprise when I read it. Japanese carrier DoCoMo just recently launched the BlackBerry Bold and only seven days later is dropping it like it's hot… literally!

Of the 4,000 Bolds sold right off the hop, some 30 DoCoMo Bold owners have complained that the device's keyboard area has been heating up. DoCoMo hasn't hurt of anyone suffering burn injuries or BlackBerry Bolds catching fire (yet!). RIM ruled out any kind of battery problem, but is still investigating the issue. In the meantime, DoCoMo has halted sales until the issue gets sorted. No other market's Bolds have been affected.

I've always known BlackBerry smartphones to be killer devices, but I have never known of a BlackBerry that had the potential to be an actual killer. For some reason this reminded me of an article we ran back in '07… New Uses for Old Berrys. Check it out for a chuckle!

[ Source ]

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Japanese BlackBerry Bold: Drop it Like its HOT!

Now this will be a wicked CrackBerry Birthday present to one lucky member of CrackBerry Nation. The folks at Schlage are providing us with a Schlage LiNK system!

In case you're not familiar with this awesome and useful piece of technology, Schlage LiNK allows you to remotely monitor your doors and grant entry to your home. From any computer or cell phone with an internet connection, you can unlock your door, monitor who's coming and going, and even receive text message alerts from the system.

The winner will be able to choose their pick of hardware (deadbolt or lock) and can pick the finish. To enter, just login to CrackBerry.com and leave a comment to this post! If you're looking for something to comment on, why not tell us a time when having Schlage LiNK in place would have saved you some hassle.

For more info, head on over to Schlage's website or check out the video after the jump. Good luck! And THANKS SCHLAGE!

read more

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Birthday Contest: Win a FREE Schlage LiNK System!

** READ THIS UPDATE: OK FOLKS…. Sad News Here.  Because EVERYONE has been trying to download their free copy of iBee Farting all at the same time, it has basically leveled the app store servers. Bitter sweet. So here's what were doing… we are suspending the Give Away for right now (a couple thousand of you did manage to get free copies in the meantime) and we're going to continue this giveaway in the next few days…  and of course, to make up for the frustrations, we'll be upping it to 10,000 FREE Copies!! Thanks iBee Mobile! Be sure to stay tuned to CrackBerry.com so you don't miss out. THANK YOU for the patience! *

read more

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Birthday Giveaway: 5,000 Copies of iBee Farting… ON HOLD!

In preparation for some upcoming giveaways in our CrackBerry Mobile App Store, we figured we'd put together a little walkthrough/tutorial so if/when time is of the essence you'll know what to do!

** When we do software coupons, please note they will only work on the mobile app store powered by Mobihand (visiting crackberryappstore.com from your BlackBerry) and will not work on our website app store (software.crackberry.com). *

Step 1, as pictured above, open up your BlackBerry's web browser and head on over to CrackBerryAppStore.com. To save on this step in the future, once you're there you can scroll to the bottom of the page and hit the "Click to Download App Store Launcher" button which will install a shortcut on your homescreen.

read more

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. How To Use a Coupon Code at CrackBerryAppStore.com

It seems Canadian carrier Bell gets to claim bragging rights as being the first carrier to launch the CDMA version of the Pearl Flip, the 8230. Whereas the 8220 packs WiFi, the 8230 offers GPS instead.

If you've been waiting for this to hit, you have until March 12th to take advantage of the attractive $29.95/3yr contract pricing. Going down to a two-year contract adds over $300 to the tab. Ouch.

More more information and to buy, head on over to Bell's website.

[ via MobileSyrup ]

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 Available from Bell for $29.95

It's frack'n cold around here. I just got in from the great outdoors, and not only is it about -20, with the windchill factor it's probably around -40. Not fun… So lets move on to some more enjoyable things, namely BlackBerry apps! Covered this week in my roundup are the following titles:

New BlackBerry Apps: Storm Slots, Can't Stop Klondike Solitaire, Stock Manager, Ringtone Shuffler, DownCounter

Free BlackBerry Apps: Staples Easy Button, BBTran, Keyboard Lock Utility

Cool Stuff: Storm Optimized Apps from gWhiz

New BlackBerry Software

Storm Slots

Want the thrill and excitement of a slot machine right on your BlackBerry Storm? Storm Slots is a Vegas inspired slot machine that is sure to fill those idle moments in your day. Bet different amounts and swipe the screen to see the payout table. Realistic sounds and graphics add to the whole experience. The game also lets you submit scores online… can you beat the all-time high score?

Pick up Storm Slots for $2.99 at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Can't Stop Klondike Solitaire

Solitaire fans have yet another app to enjoy on their BlackBerry. Can't Stop Klondike Solitaire features one of the all-time best solitaire games, Klondike. If you've never played it before, detailed rules are easily pulled up for your reference. Chose from a variety of card backs, backgrounds and more to personalize gameplay. The game also keeps track of games played and won.

Get Can't Stop Klondike Solitaire for $7.95 at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Stock Manager

If you're invested in the crazy markets these days, you no doubt can use all of the tools and utilities out there to help you along the way. Stock Manager is a stock portfolio manager that helps you stay up-to-date on the latest stock prices from markets all around the globe. Manage multiple portfolios, view charts, graphs, daily highs and lows, and a whole lot more. Multiple currencies are supported, and stock prices are updated automatically in the background.

Pick up Stock Manager for $29.95 at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Ringtone Shuffler

Want to mix things up with a random ringtone each time you get a call? Ringtone Shuffler lets you select ringtones that you want to shuffle. This is cool if you have a whole whack of ringtones on your device… Each time you get a call, you never know what you're going to get! This one requires OS 4.6 or newer, a media card inserted, and 300kb of free space.

Get Ringtone Shuffler for $3.95 at ShopCrackBerry.com >

DownCounter

Need a fast and easy way to setup a countdown timer when you need it? Now you can with DownCounter. Select a time from the dropdown list and hit 'Start'. You can also enter your own custom amount in minutes if you want. Finally, select how you'd like to be notified when the timer finishes counting down… by sound, vibration, or my personal favorite… both.

Pick up DownCounter for $2.95 at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Free BlackBerry Apps

Staples Easy Button

Call it fun, useless, or whatever you like… the Staples Easy Button has arrived for the BlackBerry. Available for the Curve, Pearl and Bold, press the button and feel the stress relief as only the Easy Button can bring All that is required is OS 4.3 or newer. That was easy.

Get the Staples Easy Button for FREE at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Note: There's also a version of the 'Easy Button' for the Storm. Check it out here.

BBTran

Need a powerful translation tool? BBTran supports more than 40 languages and acts as a meta translation tool of sorts. It allows access to Google Translate, Systran, FreeTranslation and more, to give you a very powerful translation tool at your fingertips. The app features a dictionary mode, any-to-any language translation, and a simple interface to help you find translations quickly and accurately.

Get BBTran for FREE at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Keyboard Lock Utility

Tired of random key-presses, notes, emails and phone calls as a result of your Berry banging around? Avoid these mistakes and annoyances with the new Keyboard Lock Utility from BEIKS. The ultra-simple app locks the keyboard on your Berry after a set amount of idle time. After you install, simply head over to your global settings app to modify the amount time it takes before the keyboard locks. Very handy.

Get the Keyboard Lock Utility for FREE at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Cool Stuff

Storm Optimized Apps from gWhiz

Mike over at gWhiz dropped us a note earlier this week to let us know that the gWhiz suite of apps has been updated to include support for the BlackBerry Storm. Now you can get your hands on new versions of gFlashPro, gCalcPro and gRefPro setup exclusively for use on the touchscreen Berry.

The gWhiz suite can help all students get the most out of their study time, be more productive, and in the end… Get better grades. You can check out each app via the links below.

• gFlash Pro > ($4.99 at ShopCrackBerry.com)
• gCalcPro > ($6.99 at ShopCrackBerry.com)
• gRefPro > ($4.99 at ShopCrackBerry.com)

… Or pick up the entire suite (and save!) right here for $9.99.

Thanks Mike!

Until Next Week..

Have news on BlackBerry software? New software, upgraded software,
freesoftware… it's all good! If you have any software news tips send
themin to me at softwareroundup@crackberry.com. I can't do it without your help!

Of course, we also have many more New BlackBerry Software, Updated BlackBerry Software and Free BlackBerry software titles available at ShopCrackBerry.com. Be sure to visit our software store for more great deals on BlackBerry Software!

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry App Roundup for February 27th, 2009!

Another FREEBIE!! And this one is good for all the BlackBerry Storm, Curve 8900 and Bold users out there… an ultra-sweet CrackBerry theme!

Last year for our first birthday John from JC Designs gave us the ultra-popular BlackBerry User & Abuser themes as a gift, and when we reached the 200,000 member milestone our pal the Zman put together the super-fun CorkBerry theme (still one of my all time favorites!). Now for our 2.0 birthday, it's newcomer to the theme game Hedone Designs giving back to CrackBerry Nation with the HD CB 2.0 theme! HUGE thanks go out to Hedone for putting this theme together for us. If you like it, be sure to drop a word of thanks in the comments and check out his other theme creations.

HD CB 2.0 – Bold / Curve 8900: This theme is slick! The bottom dock features ten scrolling icons (user can get positions) with the eleventh shortcut becoming the CB logo at the top of the homescreen! Hedone built in web link shortcuts to both m.crackberry.com and crackberryappstore.com. I have the CrackBerry Mobile site set to my eleventh icon so a quick scroll up and click takes me to the CrackBerry Mobile homepage. Sweet!

HD CB 2.0 – Storm: Definitely a theme that all of our hardcore Storm owner/forum members are going to love! It's clean, the icons are sharp, and tapping the CB logo launches the first shortcut in the mix. Definitely a theme for every CrackBerry Addict out there! 

DOWNLOAD the HD CB 2.0 Themes for FREE:

• CB 2.0 Theme for the BlackBerry Storm >>
• CB 2.0 Theme for the BlackBerry Curve 8900 >>
• CB 2.0 Theme for the BlackBerry Bold >>

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Birthday Freebie: CB 2.0 Theme for the Storm, Bold and 8900!

EVERYBODY WINS: We've been running a bunch of contests this week, but this isn't a contest… it's a FREEBIE!!! No need to enter. Just click the image above to go download! *

Back in August we dropped word in the CrackBerry blogs of DreamTheme's animated homescreens for BlackBerry called LiveScreens. Instead of being held to the standard look and functionality of a traditional theme, a LiveScreen is an application that runs in the foreground of your BlackBerry, giving you total control over the look of your homescreen and improved functionality as well (ability to create shortcuts!!). Since then, DreamTheme has been working on their Version 2.0 LiveScreens, which will launching on their website at DreamTheme.mobi soon!

In honor of CrackBerry.com's turning two, they've hooked up CrackBerry Nation with a FREE CrackBerry LiveScreen… and this is their new 2.0 version! Click the image above to jump over to DreamTheme.mobi where you can download the files. Be sure to read the instructions fully before you proceed. You need to install both the LiveScreen app as well as the theme that corresponds to your device model. The LiveScreen is currently available for the Curve 83xx, Bold, 8800 and Pearl 81xx. Curve 8900, Storm and Pearl Flip editions will be coming soon (don't worry Storm/8900 owners… we have a freebie coming up for you as well!).

After the jump you can take a look at more screencaps of the CrackBerry Live Screen. Visit DreamTheme.mobi to download. Be sure to post any feedback in the comments. If you run into any technical diffculty, be sure to check out the instructions and FAQ on the DreamTheme website. Enjoy your freebie!!!

read more

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Birthday Freebie: DreamTheme CrackBerry LiveScreen!